Flood Management: Concepts And Strategies

Floods and its accompanies like landslides, burst dams and other unforeseen occurrences beyond human imagination are the aftermath of human degradation of the planet, human inhumanity to mankind and gross carelessness that graduated to recklessness.
The powers that be from the civilised world bestowed on us the disasters we witness presently. The global warming anomaly is created by the unguided ozone layer degradation from carbon emissions in the name of capitalistic productivity for the sole purpose of money making without a care for global human existence.
Africa as a whole generates three percent of the global emissions that depletes the ozone layer yet we suffer the most from the aftermath of warped climate change that defies basic solutions.
Climate change is really a change that defies most weather forecasts and negates proper preparation. With a surprise factor, we have little or no leeway against mother nature in all its fury. All we can do is emergency management after the event, some of which last for days with irreversible damage to live, property and infrastructure.
Flood management involves measures to prevent, mitigate, and respond to flooding, protecting people, infrastructure, and the environment.
A clear view of what this entails is a proper knowledge of the types of flood we are encountering and dealing with. There are Riverine flooding that stems from rivers, there are Coastal flooding from sea-level rise and storm surges, there are Urban flooding from flash floods and storm water runoff and finally Pluvial flooding from heavy rainfall.
Maintaining a good flood management strategy involves preventions that should be put in place namely watershed management, floodplain zoning regulations, wetland restoration and green infrastructure.
In terms of mitigation, infrastructure plays a vital role in implementation. Provision of Leeves and floodwall are crucial, dams and reservoirs are important, flood control channels are also pertinent without forgetting the element of early warning systems.
Responses with emergency preparedness plans, evacuation procedures and flood fighting with sand bags and pumps, search and rescue operations. These are all parameters of operations with good intent albeit against mother nature’s fury.
This trajectory of management entails proper recovery parameters of damage assessment, debris removal, Infrastructure repair, community support and rebuilding.
Concise technologies adaptation is also required for flood forecasting and modeling, real-time monitoring systems, artificial intelligence for predictive analytics and Mobile apps for flood alerts and information.
On a global scale, international cooperation are accessible through and from the UN Water Convention, European Floods Directive, Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction and International Association of Hydro Environment Engineering and Research. On our local scale, we have NIHSA, NiMet, MHAPA, NEMA and SEMA.
Flood management principles must be maintained for Integrated water resource management, community engagement and participation, ecosystem-based approaches, climate change resilience and transboundary cooperation as the case with Lagdo Dam water releases from Cameroon and our local Alau dam inadequacy to contain the overbearing flood waters.
At this stage, there’s need for strong preparations to create a family emergency plan, including evacuation routes and contact details, information about weather condition floods and storage of essential items (food, water, first aid kit etc ).
A cursory look at flood insurance is a good position but insurance generally has never been one of our strong points.
Procedures, information and guidance is imperative during a flood to evacuate the people immediately if ordered to do so, move to higher ground or upper floors as applicable, avoid walking or driving through floodwaters and keep phone lines open for emergency calls if not damaged by the disaster. As Nigerians, we have this carefree attitude that makes us ignore crucial information till its too late to be pro active and save our own lives.
People protection is vital hence the need to prioritise vulnerable populations (children, elderly, disabled), provide safe shelter and evacuation transportation, ensure access to medical care with essential services and prevent waterborne diseases by providing clean water and sanitation.
Environmental protection is also high on the agenda to prevent chemical spills and hazardous material releases, protect wildlife habitats and ecosystems as depicted by wild life loss in the Maiduguri floods where the animals simply floated away, minimise waste generation and promote recycling and restore natural floodplains and wetlands.
Post-Flood response as a procedure should assess damage and prioritise recovery efforts, provide support for affected communities, implement measures to prevent future flooding and restore ecosystems and natural habitats. NEMA as a national body with appendages on state levels called SEMA are duty bound to implement their mandates and bring succor to the people.
Flood Safety Tips
Information dissemination as early warning system to the populace is important from the policy makers in government. The populace should be in the loop to stay informed about flood risks and warnings, avoid flooded areas and fast-moving water, keep electrical appliances away from water, and avoid contact with contaminated water.
There are agencies of government saddled with the total gamut of flood management. NiMet (Nigeria meteorology agency) for meteorology advance warning information, NIHSA (Nigeria hydrological services agency) for water sciences information, MHAPA (Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs), River Basin Agencies, Inland Waterways Agency and NEMA (national emergency management agency) for the national emergency responses with appendages on the sub national levels aptly called SEMA (state emergency management agency).
The wanton destruction by intense flooding in Maiduguri, Borno State due to a disastrous flood initiated in water releases from Lagdo dam Cameroon is a typical case study for immediate policy amendment and implementation of infrastructure adjustment to mitigate and alleviate the disaster rather than national presence of who’s who in Nigeria. Be that as it may, mother nature is really dishing out reprisals for our total negligence of our planet. When we destroy an ecosystem created by God for our benefit, we pay the price in sorrow, tears and blood.
NIHSA, NiMET, MHAPA (Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs & Poverty Alleviation), River Basin Agencies, Inland Waterways Agency, NEMA, all states SEMA should all implement their mandates within the policy framework of this administration to be pro active in operations and deliver safety to live, property and infrastructure against the fury of mother nature that we stoked with deliberate knowledge in the first place.